Fox & Goose corbel - Wymondham Abbey - Wymondham, Norfolk - Exact Replicas on Waymarking.com

A copy of a Fox and Goose corbel with information board in Wymondham Abbey.

"Look up to the roof on the north side of this church and you will see some rather surprising carvings. There are curly-haired angels, men with forked beards and funky hats, musicians including a bagpiper, and even an ugly pregnant woman_ One carving with a story to tell shows a fox running off with a goose in its mouth.

All over medieval Europe people knew stories about the fox and goose. Maybe you sang The fox went out one winter's night at school? Usually the theme is 'the trickster outwitted.

The cunning fox admires the goose's beauty. Flattered, she closes her eyes and stretches her long white neck. Immedi-ately he seizes her and makes a dash for the open fields but the honking of the other geese alerts the farmer, who gives chase with his dogs_ As the fox opens his mouth to snarl, the goose escapes to the safety of a tree. The fox escapes but goes home hungry. At the end of the story, both fox and goose reflect sadly that their pride has allowed them to be fooled.

Why were these secular stories illustrated in church? Partly they were intended as 'an awful warning: The goose stands for we poor simple humans, constantly at risk of falling for the tricks of the devil but the fox could also stand for the powers that be, such as the government, greedy landowners, and the Church - especially the monks. This may explain why this carving is here. Perhaps the parishioners were poking fun at the Abbey's greedy monks, whom they thought were taking more than they were entitled to. "

SOURCE - info board

Where is original located?: Wymondham Abbey Where is this replica located?: Wymondham Abbey Who created the original?: Not Known Year Original was Created (approx. ok): 1400 Internet Link about Original: Not listed

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